1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for distinguishing between an embedded particle or a floating particle on a disk of a hard disk drive.
2. Background Information
Hard disk drives contain a plurality of magnetic heads that are coupled to rotating disks. The heads can magnetize and sense the magnetic fields of the disk to write and read data, respectively. The heads are coupled to a pivoting actuator arm that has a voice coil motor.
Data is typically stored on tracks that extend radially across the disk surfaces. The voice coil motor can be energized to pivot the actuator arm and move the heads to different track locations. Each track is typically divided into a number of sectors.
The heads have air bearing surfaces that cooperate with an air flow within the hard disk drive to create air bearings. The air bearings prevent and/or minimize the mechanical wear between the heads and the surfaces of the disks. The strength of the magnetic field applied and sensed from the disk surface is an inverse function of the air bearing height. Consequently, it is desirable to minimize the air bearing height to optimize the magnetic performance of the heads.
To minimize contact between the disks and the heads it is desirable to manufacture the disk surfaces as smooth as possible. To insure that the disk surfaces comply with certain smoothness requirements, the disks are typically inspected with an apparatus commonly referred to as a disk certifier. There are various types of disk certifiers that operate with a stylus, a magnetic head and/or an optical detection system. In an optical based certifier a beam of light is reflected off the disk surface and then detected by an optical detection system. The detected reflected light is then analyzed to identify pits, particles and other anomalies on the disk surface. After inspection the disk is assembled into a sealed hard disk assembly (“HDA”).
Particles may be created during the operation of the drive. For example, mechanical contact between the heads and the disk surfaces may generate small particles on the order of 0.05 to 0.2 micrometers. The particles may float onto and scratch the disk surfaces. To date, there is no way to determine the cause of a disk surface scratch within an HDA. It would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method for determining the existence of floating particles within an HDA.